Future Sight
by CinderHawk
Summary: Tadaoki, a boy raised to only serve for war. Gracia, a girl sheltered from the realities of the world. When Ransei's era of strife causes them to meet, they discover the reasons why, despite all the hardship and tragedy, one must continue to fight. Pokemon Conquest fic.
1. Warrior's Duty

I had known nothing but war in my life.

The cold rain was beating down on my face, stinging my cheeks. My companion, a small, squat dragon creature, huddled tightly under my arm next to me, attempting to blink the water out of its eyes. Along the back of its leathery hide was a series of impact bruises, with beads of blood growing in some areas of the wounds.

We were trapped behind a ridge of earth on the battlefield, a desolate stretch of land on the outskirts of Valora. Beyond where we were concealed, I could hear the shouts of commands and the clashing of beasts' bodies. My clothing was becoming heavier with water under my armor and my boots were entrenched in mud, but I wanted to get back out into the fray so badly. It was what I was raised to do.

In the far horizon, I could see the lights of the Valora Castle city through the fog. Lord Ieyasu had already surrendered to serve under my commander, yet stragglers of resistance still remained. I had heard that they were those who were not willing to give up their allegiance or their home, but the details did not matter to me.

"Gible...Gib!" my Pokemon exclaimed suddenly, pressing the knuckles of its claw into my arm.

"I know," I whispered back to it, straining to continue to analyze the echoes of battle behind us. All of a sudden, I heard the bellow of an Emboar and there was an orange glow that illuminated the gray sky behind the ridge.

Yet I did not feel scared. Instead, a shiver of excitement went through my rain-soaked body.

This was what I had lived for in all my eleven years of existence.

The enemy's Pokemon, an Aggron, took the brunt force of a Flamethrower attack, stepping backwards as it attempted to resist the plumes of fire. Its massive hind legs began to encroach on the ridge that Gible and I were hiding behind, causing the comparatively soft earth to crumble on top of us.

"Now!" I yelled, pulling myself from the mud and pushing Gible forwards, launching it a short distance away.

As I made my escape, Gible flipped into the air, landing facing our adversary, whose back was towards us. The Aggron still was buckling from the previous attack, and I could spot its partner warrior nearby preparing to give an order. However, Gible and I had planned this technique for a long while. I didn't even have to say anything.

Gible opened its jaw wide, and plumes of violet-yellow fire started to gather within its mouth. With a quick glance to the side, I saw the opposing warrior's expression of impending horror as he realized what the fate of his Pokemon was. Even he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As swathes of Dragon Rage enveloped the Aggron, it roared in agony until its eyes rolled back into its head and it collasped onto the ridge, crushing it completely under its weight.

"I surrender!" I heard the raspy voice of the other warrior over his rapid foodsteps as he rushed to the side of his partner. "Please, I surrender!"

However, there was the possibility that there were still other enemies out there, and Gible and I did not have time to deal with the formalities of submission at this time. I scanned the area quickly, trying to spot any remaining skirmishes while Gible sunk its claws into the ground, attempting to feel for any underground attackers or the tremors of a battle far away.

Yet there was nothing. The battlefield had grown silent, and any enemy Pokemon that I could see were fallen, their corresponding warriors surrendering to members of our army. I stood there, breathing heavily for a short while and relishing the solitary sound of rain before kneeling next to Gible's side and laying a hand on its head. Gible gave a happy but tired squeal of victory.

"Valora is now truly Lord Nobunaga's," a rough, calm voice said behind me.

I turned my head to see a stout yet strongly-built older man approach, with his partner, Emboar, by his side. While he stopped a few steps from Gible and myself, Emboar came close to the two of us and crouched down, warming us with its beard of flickering fire. I placed my other hand on Emboar's belly and felt the tingling sensation of feeling returning to my fingertips.

"Thank you, Emboar," I said quietly. I then looked up to my superior officer, who had folded his arms and was surveying the aftermath. "Lord Katsuie."

Lord Katsuie did not so much as nod slightly to acknowledge my greeting. He never was a man of many words. A tough, grizzled veteran warrior, some say that he had attempted to directly oppose Lord Nobunaga in the past, but had been spared exile due to his experience and wisdom. Indeed, he was one of the top generals in this army, and in this battle he had been our leading officer.

"Old Man!" someone yelled from far away. "Old Man, we did it!"

A tall, lean teenager a few years older than me ran up to our group. Accompanying him was his Scyther hovering over the ground, its rapidly beating wings casting a fine mist about it from the rain. Emboar looked up at Scyther, slightly annoyed.

"They were frightened away like scattering Starly!" the young warrior said. His normally spiked-up brown hair was now plastered to his soaked face, but anyone could see his beaming eyes through it. "Didja see how I did back there? We - "

"There is no reason to celebrate, Toshiie," Lord Katsuie spoke solemnly, not even looking at his apprentice. Toshiie, appearing slightly dejected from his master's standard gruff demeanor, turned to me to assuage his rejection.

I stood up to give Toshiie the congratulations he thought he deserved, but I was stopped when he slung an arm over my shoulders, bringing me in close. I could detect the metallic scent of blood off his clothing.

"C'mon, Tadaoki," he said into my ear, trying to speak out of Lord Katsuie's range of hearing. "We've been at war with Valora for who-knows-how-long now? Doesn't that call for even a little bit of cheerfulness?"

"Not really," I replied, looking at him plainly. "There's still more battles to be fought."

It was true that the war with Valora took much longer than with prior kingdoms: several months with some stalemates in between. Perhaps it was because of the native Pokemon's natural defenses, or perhaps it was the startling amount of loyalty that Lord Ieyasu's subjects and military had displayed. Even Lord Ieyasu had been surprised; he had to issue a proclamation of complete surrender because he wanted to prevent more Pokemon and warriors from being injured or killed for the kingdom's sake. And yet, the war raged on for weeks after.

"Valora's only the fourth kingdom to be under Lord Nobunaga's control," I continued. "And we might still receive opposition from those we've already defeated."

Toshiie knitted his brows in frustration at my response, but before he could say anything we all heard a wailing scream from the defeated warrior nearby. He had thrown himself over the unmoving form of his Aggron, clutching it tightly while periodically losing grip on its slippery steel armor.

I was then let go by Toshiie, as he presumably did not want to continue the line of conversation any further; I thought it was for the best as well. Once again, the singular sound of rain striking the earth took over.

"Milords, congratulations on the victory!"

Breaking the solemn atmosphere, a fresh-faced messenger arrived, kicking up mud behind him as he made his way in our direction. He stopped promptly in front of us, out of breath but definitely not out of energy as he smiled at us and our partners.

"Uh...thanks," Toshiie said, his previously bright mood having been severely dampened.

The messenger then looked towards me, not reacting to Toshiie.

"Lord Tadaoki, your presence has been requested at the makeshift camp to the northwest. It would seem that Lord Nobunaga has a special order for you!"

"Thank you," I said, feeling Toshiie's stare suddenly pierce into me. "I'll return there immediately."

With only a brief nod of confirmation, the messenger dashed off across the battlefield, moving to other warriors of our army in the distance.

"Well, I guess I should say congrats to you," Toshiie sighed. "Little Tadaoki sure has proven himself to Lord Nobunaga, it seems. First a letter of recognition back then, and now this?"

"I'm just doing what I'm supposed to and that's it," I stated. There was no other way to describe it. "Maybe if you did the same, Lord Katsuie would think better of you."

Toshiie was about to retort when Lord Katsuie interrupted him.

"Do not hold him up," he spoke. "We need to attend to the surrenderers. And..."

He tilted his head towards the grieving warrior. Nothing more needed to be said after that.

"...Yes, Old Man," Toshiie responded obediently.

I went over to Gible, who was still enjoying Emboar's heat, and picked it up into my arms, careful to not accidentally touch its wounds. I nodded to Emboar in gratitude and then gave a light wave to Toshiie's Scyther, who had landed on the ground and was busy tending to the damage on its arm blades. Noticing me, it raised one blade back before returning to work.

"I will see you later, Lord Katsuie, Toshiie," I said, bowing my head to the warriors.

I turned to start towards the direction of the camp, cradling Gible as gently as I could. Gible looked into my eyes for a short while before closing them gently, knowing that it was finally safe to rest. As I walked slowly, the numbing feeling of cold reaching my bones once again, I heard Toshiie start to talk.

"...Is it really okay for a kid like him to fight in a war like this?" he said, a more candid observation than anything else. "I mean, he acts nothing like a kid his age should...I've seen Boldore with more personality."

Lord Katsuie said something in response to Toshiie, but I could not make out if he said anything else beyond it as the rain grew stronger.

"...War makes no exceptions. Remember that."

* * *

I never expected to see Lord Nobunaga in person. In fact, many of us warriors had never even seen him before, despite being in his service. Therefore, when I was told when I arrived at the campgrounds that my father going to be the one to give me the order, it was simply business as usual.

My father had served the warlord of Dragnor for as long as I could remember, even before Lord Nobunaga came to the position. As a historian and strategist, my father's duties took up the majority of his time, and therefore I was always surrounded by aspects of war. The constant battles, both political and military, were what composed all of my growing up. Watching warriors train with their Pokemon, poring over maps and strategies, delivering medicine and rations, serving tea at negotiation meetings...those were my childhood days.

And a year ago, I became a warrior myself.

After dropping Gible off at the medical tent into the services of waiting medics and Audinos, I went towards the designated meeting place. A massive tent had been pitched in the center of camp to provide shelter from the rain, and right as I entered it, I was overwhelmed by the humidity and smell of sweat and wet Pokemon. There were so many warriors and Pokemon gathered within; some were sitting on the ground and conversing, others were roughhousing playfully, and a few were attempting to rest, stretched out under blankets. The news of the defeat of Valora's final resistance must have already reached here, as the mood was lively and festive rather than the typical doldrums of uncertainty. An orange-flamed Chandelure, specially-raised from Spectra, hung from the ceiling, providing a warm light that helped to accentuate the bright feeling that everybody had.

"Tadaoki, good of you to return so quickly," I heard my father yell over the din. He was trying to make his way through a group of warriors who were standing around and comparing their armor. "You have to prepare at once to leave."

Not many would realize that my father was a man of his standing just from his appearance. He was always looking simple, from his trimmed brown hair and beard to his modest gold-lined blue robes and navy hakama. I tried to emulate the same style in what I wore myself.

My father's partner, Dragonair, had a better time of navigating the crowds, mostly due to its massive size and presence; it slid up to me and nudged me gently with the side of its large head. My father had Dragonair as his partner since before I was born, and it had developed a rather protective temperament towards me. However, at that time I had to focus on what my father had to say, and I pressed it away after rubbing its neck briefly.

"All right, then," I said. I started to make a mental list of what to bring and things to do before I left. "Where to, and what will I be doing there?"

My father did not say anything for a brief moment, even after looking my rain-soaked self over. I wondered if something was wrong, since he was a person of a nimble mind.

"As you know, this is a direct order from Lord Nobunaga himself," he said, starting to walk away towards a less inhabited corner of the tent. He was wringing his gloved hands together. "Basically, he is seeking to strengthen the relations between the people of Dragnor and Nixtorm."

"...You and Lord Mitsuhide have been friends for a long time, even way before Nixtorm submitted to Lord Nobunaga," I said as I followed, lowering the volume of my voice accordingly. "What does Lord Nobunaga have in mind now?"

"This war against Valora has proven the strength of a dedicated, united army, even if we were the ones to be victorious in the end," he stated, stopping facing the canvas wall of the tent. He then looked towards me, wearing a stony expression. "I'm not sure if you can do this, but Lord Nobunaga has ultimately left the decision to you."

Before I knew it, Dragonair had appeared at my side again, looking at me with its large, calm eyes. I ignored it and gave my attention back to my father.

"For the coming weeks, our army will cease expansion to reorganize itself and take stock of its resources," he finally said. "During this interlude, you are to travel to Nixtorm and be engaged for marriage with Lord Mitsuhide's daughter."

I was perplexed by my father's hesitation. The order made absolute sense. Why would I object to it? Diplomacy would be easier than fighting on a battlefield, I was sure of it. Also, Gible deserved the rest.

"Very well," I said. "I will leave before dawn tomorrow."

"You...you don't have any issue with it, Tadaoki?" my father almost whispered, his eyebrows raising as soon as I gave my confirmation. "Surely you don't realize..."

My father didn't complete the sentence. I decided that it was fine for me to speak after a short pause between us.

"What is there to realize?" I asked. I didn't understand why he was hung up on this; perhaps he doubted Lord Nobunaga's strategy? "Isn't marriage for the unification of families? That's what it's for, and that's what Lord Nobunaga requires, right?"

"It's not just for - " My father then cut himself off midsentence once again. "Well...yes, Tadaoki," he continued, somewhat resigned. "If you are willing to do so..."

"I am willing to do anything to win this war for my lord and my kingdom," I stated.

I wasn't sure if I saw a pained look on my father's face for a moment. However, he then smiled and embraced me tightly. It was a feeling that made all the strife of the prior battle worth it.

"Go get some rest, Tadaoki. It will be a long journey tomorrow."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I took plenty of liberties with the game mechanics and story in portraying this world, so expect not everything to be exactly like the game. Also, although Tadaoki in the game is represented by a generic warrior unit and in this story shares some personality traits with his historical counterpart, he is basically, for all purposes, an original character. Katsuie and Toshiie, though, should be familiar to some...

Thanks for reading! I hope to have more up soon!

And this is a quick plug, but I started a Pokemon Conquest archive community for any and all Pokemon Conquest fics! Check it out in my profile, under my Communities.


	2. Those Who Live in the Frozen Lands

Although my father frequently made trips to Nixtorm to visit with Lord Mitsuhide, I personally had never been. My status as a native of Dragnor was made clear when during the journey I was faced with blistering cold that I was not used to. Even though I was bundled up in layers of clothing and a cloak, I walked slowly through the frozen landscape, trying to stop myself from shivering as I did so. My rucksack felt like boulders strapped to my back, and with every step I could feel the weight forcing me down. Worse off than me was Gible, who trailed behind me in custom-fit fur clothing of its own although it seemed like it did not do much good for it.

"Gib..." it groaned as it trudged along.

"I'm sorry, I can't," I admitted. I had carried Gible first in my arms and later on my shoulders for a majority of the trip, but now I ached so much that I couldn't even carry myself through the snow. For all the training I had done, this was pathetic. It was true that we had been traveling for almost the entire day since dawn, but I knew that the pace would have been faster. I needed to become stronger...

My eyes, permanently cast downwards at the path, spotted an old log on the side of the road. It had been worn down to a smooth finish, likely used by many other travelers before me to stop and rest. I silently thanked my predecessors and, with my last burst of strength, picked Gible up and dashed for the log, dropping myself down on it with a sigh of relief. Gible felt the same, glad to be finally plucked from the snow.

I hugged Gible tightly to my chest, trying to help it become warm again. In that moment, I had the chance to actually look around for the first time in a long while.

I had never seen so much white before - all there was were pine trees and the distant forms of misty mountains to break the monotony of white. Dragnor, where I was born and raised, was full of mountain ranges and rock faces at every turn and you had to look straight up to see the sky. Here, the clouded sky seemed to blend into the ground at the horizon, and with the starkness of it all it felt like Gible and I were the only ones in the world.

I wondered to myself, _what kind of people would actually live here?_ and then I realized that I would be meeting with those people very soon. Facilitating a stronger union between Dragnor and Nixtorm...this was an amazing honor.

Marriage...I knew that it was a union between two people made official, to cement the relations between their families, or even their kingdoms. Lord Nobunaga had married Lady Nō for that reason, I had heard, to unify her clan with Dragnor. At this time, she was the leader of forces at Spectra because its warlord refused to join Lord Nobunaga after the kingdom's defeat. From the tales I had heard of her, she definitely was a valuable addition to our forces.

My father had married my mother, but I had never met her. I didn't know anything about her at all - my father never even talked about her once with me in depth. Nonetheless, it was hard to miss someone you never knew, but sometimes I wondered about who she was, and where she was now.

"Once this is settled, we'll be back in battle soon," I said to Gible, who nodded in agreement. Even though we had barely arrived in Nixtorm's territory, we couldn't wait to return to more temperate climates. Surely this engagement meeting wouldn't take too long.

"Hello there!" a voice called from the distance.

I turned my head towards the source of the sound, and at first I couldn't make out anybody. Perhaps I was hearing things? However, soon a pair of warriors became visible through the mist, running down the path in my direction. They were dressed warmly in thick, fur-lined coats, and I was slightly jealous of their attire. Next to them were two small Pokemon who were very much at home in the cold climate: a Spheal and a Snorunt. They seemed to be enjoying the outing as they gallivanted through the snow after their partners.

"Are you Lord Tadaoki?" one of them asked right after he stopped next to the log. "We were patrolling the borders when we spotted you." He didn't even seem out of breath; once again, I made a mental note for myself to keep training.

"Yes, of Dragnor," I said. Gible made a sound in greeting as well.

The other warrior, though, was glancing about the area.

"The two of you didn't just come here by yourselves, did you?" he asked, sounding somewhat alarmed.

Meanwhile, the Snorunt began to approach Gible and me, seemingly curious. Gible, though, fidgeted uncomfortably at the Ice Pokemon's presence and then bore its teeth with a hiss. Despite that display, Snorunt didn't seem scared, and I held Gible a bit closer while patting its head to reassure it.

"We did," I responded.

"That's dangerous!" the warrior continued. "What if something happened to you or your partner? Surely it would've been safer if you had at least another person or Pokemon with you!"

I bristled at the suggestion. Was it because I was young? Or because my partner was Dragon type? _I'm just as capable as any other warrior!_ I thought to myself.

"Well, the important thing is that he's here," the other warrior said before I could cut in. He then looked to me. "The castle city isn't too far from here, so we'll walk you there. Are you well enough to keep going?"

_Of course I am! And why do you guys need to walk me there, I was doing fine on my own! Quit trying to baby me!_

"Yes, and your company is appreciated," I said, standing up slowly. In reality, I still ached in my limbs, and I could feel a numbing, stinging sensation through them as I got up from the long. I didn't want to lose face as a warrior, though, especially since I was a representative of Dragnor. I had to keep going through the pain.

It would have been unfair to punish Gible for my stubbornness, so I kept carrying it in my arms - that, and a scuffle might have broken out between it and Snorunt if I placed it down.

Thankfully, the presence of four new traveling partners made the last leg of the trip more bearable. We made conversation, with the two patrolmen asking questions about the victory in Valora and if it was my first time in Nixtorm. I tried to answer as best as I could without losing valuable breath while talking, and in exchange they described their duties for border patrol as being as boring as watching a Magikarp flail around. They had my sympathies, but such a task was still important.

Before long, the Nixtorm Castle city came into view. Surrounded by trees and large formations of ice, it was a bustling town with shops, homes, and many warmly-dressed people and Pokemon going about their business. It would appear that even though the weather was always cold, they were leading peaceful, quaint lives.

"So, what do you think?" one of the warriors by my side said, grinning. "I'll have you know that we have the best shaved ice in all of Ransei! How about some, it'll be my treat!"

"I need to go to the castle," I said plainly, looking up at him. "I have to meet with Lord Mitsuhide."

"O-Oh...well then," the warrior said, barely making an effort to hide his disappointment. He raised an arm and pointed towards the distance. "The castle is over there, on that ridge near the edge of town."

Covered in ice that only embellished its architecture, Nixtorm Castle's grandeur could be seen all the way from where I was. Its ornate, golden-edged gables glistened in the foggy sunlight, and its majestic presence from the top of a glacial hill contrasted with the simple, common wood and brick buildings of the castle town.

With the goal finally in sight, I felt invigorated once more. I set Gible down on the path, nodded and gave my thanks to the warriors who had led me here, and then started off on the final stretch of the trip through the town streets.

* * *

The Nixtorm Castle was much, much grander up close, and its gigantic gilded double doors at the entrance made me feel insignificant. Gible and I had just scaled the curved set of stairs to the top of the plateau where the castle was located, and we were exhausted from trying to not slip and fall on its frosted surfaces.

"Who...who maintains this place?" I said between breaths to Gible. If it were up to me, I'd make the castle better accessible to guests.

"Gib...Gib!" Gible squeaked. It was tuckered out as well, sitting on its tail.

We remained there for a short while, trying to regain our composure; it wouldn't be good form to show up at a castle for a formal meeting while panting and gasping for breath. However, for some reason I couldn't help but feel nervous. Even though I had met Lord Mitsuhide many times throughout my growing up and this was going to be a simple diplomacy assignment, I couldn't figure out why I could still feel my heart racing.

Having had enough of that anxiety, I approached the doors and knocked upon one of them as strongly as I could.

There was a brief pause that felt like it lasted an eternity, but then both doors opened slowly, being pulled back by unseen servants behind them. Standing there in the doorway, though, was the familiar figure of Lord Mitsuhide.

Although Lord Mitsuhide was around the same age as my father, he had a very different air about him in comparison. He was also intelligent, but he appeared more serene and elegant with a calming smile. Unlike my father, he had long dark hair tied into a ponytail, and though his outfit was simple, all the fine embroidered detailing and careful dye work on it made him appear majestic, fitting the role of one of Nobunaga's top generals.

"Tadaoki, welcome," he said, with a soft voice matching his appearance. "I trust that the journey was not too difficult?"

"Lord Mitsuhide," I said, bowing slightly. Gible mimicked me in the gesture, although for its lack of a neck, it had to tilt forward its entire body.

Lord Mitsuhide moved to the side, gesturing for us to enter. As we did so, the two servants who were holding doors open moved towards us to take our outerwear and my rucksack.

"The journey was long, but not difficult," I said while I handed my cape over. Yes, I may have been partially lying here, but I did not want to be fretted over or looked down on.

The poor servant who was tasked with removing Gible's fur jacket did not seem to know how to deal with a Dragon Pokemon, or at least had never seen one before. He leaned over it, his arms awkwardly shaking as he reached for the little jacket. At the same moment, Gible was acting like a tiny nobleman, presenting its back to him with its arms wide and eyes closed, a toothy grin on its face.

"They will take your possessions to the room you'll be staying at these next few weeks," Lord Mitsuhide explained as the servants scurried off down a side hallway once they had taken all our things.

I became a little excited at the prospect of having my own room inside a castle. After months of being crammed in tent barracks with loads of other boys and Pokemon, sleeping on what could barely count as a straw mat, this was like a dream come true. But no, no. That was not the point of this trip. Even if I had to sleep in a cave, I should be happy to be here no matter what. I was doing a service for my kingdom's leader.

"You sure have grown since the last time I saw you, Tadaoki," Lord Mitsuhide said, starting to walk down the main hallway. "I heard from your father that you have become a fine warrior, even receiving a commendation from Lord Nobunaga."

"I am not worthy of such praise," I responded as I followed, Gible trotting by my heels happily. It seemed to be glad to finally be indoors.

"A modest young man." Lord Mitsuhide smiled. "You definitely will make a good husband for my daughter when you two do get married, but that's a long time away."

We came to set of sliding doors and a warrior standing guard opened them before leading us into a large, empty room probably used for meetings and gatherings. She closed the door behind us as I looked around, taking in the sight of the wall panels painted with beautiful murals likely inspired by the Nixtorm landscape. They consisted of snow-capped mountains, frozen plains, and lush forests dotted with the occasional native Pokemon hidden in the scene. I was fixated on them short while until Lord Mitsuhide spoke, breaking me out of my trance of admiration.

"Please, have a seat," Lord Mitsuhide directed, and I did so, sitting cross-legged on one side of the room, which was lined with comfortable tatami mats. Gible sidled up close to me, and I pet its head once again.

"My daughter should be arriving soon, I had sent for attendants to fetch her," Lord Mitsuhide said, kneeling down next to me. "In the mean - "

Lord Mitsuhide was interrupted, however, by a loud thump from beyond the door across the room. Voices started to come from behind there as well.

"Milady!" a female voice said alarmingly. "Please, calm yourself!"

"I won't! I refuse to!" another female voice said, this time a much younger one. "I'm not going to marry someone I haven't met before, and especially someone that I don't love!"

_Love?_

From then on there was the racket of various footsteps against the wooden hallway. I stared at the door, not sure how to react to what I was hearing. I then turned to look to Lord Mitsuhide, but he had his face down in one of his hands, shaking his head as he did so. His brows were furrowed slightly.

"Unhand me, unhand me at once!" the girl continued, audibly struggling. "If you don't...!"

The guard warrior strode across the room to see what all the ruckus was about on the other side; she slid the door open just in time to reveal another warrior fall to the floor like a log, completely unconscious. We were all surprised by the sudden sight until a Munna floated into view, clearly the perpetrator of what had just happened.

Then, pulled into the doorway by two servant women holding her arms was a girl with a fierce expression normally seen on warriors in the thick of battle. I immediately noticed the unusual fashion she was wearing which was nothing like what was common in Ransei, such as the ruffled short pants underneath a skirt and the high leggings. What was more important, though, was the fact that she was openly resisting participating in this engagement, against the wishes of her father, my own father, and Lord Nobunaga. I narrowed my eyes, still not sure what to think of this situation.

But I was somewhat perplexed. Lord Nobunaga had given me the choice and I gladly accepted; did she not have the right to refuse?

I then came to a realization. What if I myself had refused? I would probably have to go through with it anyways or face consequences. Lord Nobunaga's will was absolute; what he decided was for the best of Ransei. I felt a little bad for her, but I couldn't understand what she was going on about and why she was making such a big deal of things. What did love have to do with marriage, anyways?

"Gracia," Lord Mitsuhide said in a calm yet stern tone, standing up suddenly.

The girl ceased struggling once Lord Mitsuhide spoke. It seemed like she hadn't realized that he was in the room.

"Father..." she murmured. She lowered her arms, and the servants left her side immediately to carry the now-sleeping warrior out of the room. Munna, who was presumably her partner, took their place next to her.

"We have a guest, Gracia." Lord Mitsuhide moved a hand in my direction. "Lord Fujitaka's son, he traveled all the way from Valora."

Scampering onto the floor quickly, the girl took a kneeling position in front of me and bowed deeply, her hands touching the mats.

"Pardon me for my behavior," she said, sounding much more stiff than before. "I am Gracia of Nixtorm, daughter of Lord Mitsuhide. It is a pleasure to meet you."

I did the same, assuming the standard kneeling position and returning with just as formal a bow.

"I am Tadaoki of Dragnor, and likewise. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, milady."

Once I sat back upright, I found that Lady Gracia was already looking back at me with her large green eyes. Then, she smiled; it wasn't a smile out of courtesy or expectation, but rather an actual, genuine smile.

"Tadaoki will be staying with us while the military is on temporary standby," Lord Mitsuhide explained, starting to pace a bit around the room. "We thought that it would be a good time for the two of you to meet since you are both engaged - "

"I understand, Father!" she exclaimed, shooting up to her feet. "But, I would like to talk with him in private, is that all right?"

Lord Mitsuhide's eyebrows rose up slightly in surprise. "Well, I don't see the problem with that, but - "

I was looking up at Lord Mitsuhide, listening to him speak when I suddenly felt one of my hands being grasped; I turned my head just in time to feel myself being tugged up and forwards, nearly stumbling in the process. Lady Gracia was dragging me out of the room.

"Let's go!" she whispered before breaking into a dash, still holding onto my wrist. I would have held my ground, but I was in such a daze that the momentum forced me to start following, my legs moving fast to keep up with her.

"Gible!" I heard my partner yell behind me, but it was too late for anybody to follow. Before I knew it, Lady Gracia and I were running down the hallways, the paneled walls appearing to be a blur while the wooded floors clattered beneath us.

She led me down various turns until I was pulled into what appeared to be a small storage room; there were plenty of cabinets, boxes, and other crates along the walls. And, of course, there was nobody in it but the two of us.

After Lady Gracia looked down both ends of the hallway outside of the room, she shut the door hastily and spun around to face me. What was I supposed to do now? I knew the protocol for being taken prisoner by an enemy, but not being whisked away by a girl I just barely met!

"I want to make this clear with you, okay?" she said, approaching me. "I'm not going to marry you."

"Wha - err, I beg your pardon?" I said, stepping back instinctively. I couldn't believe what she had just said. She's not going to marry me?

She folded her arms and looked to the side, a pouting expression on her lips.

"Father doesn't understand. You can't marry somebody without loving them." She then returned her determined gaze back to me. "And you can't force someone to marry someone else against their will. I refuse."

"I, uh..." I started to say, trying to gather my words. "But, but what of the union between Nixtorm and Dragnor? What will happen?" My mind was racing, thinking about how horrible it would be this entire plan fell through.

"That's fine," Lady Gracia said, her face promptly becoming cheerful. One could tell from her eyes that she had this all planned out. "We're only engaged, and we're not supposed to really get married until we're older, right? Well, I'm sure the war will end by then, and then we won't have to get married!"

She grinned proudly at her idea, and I pondered on it for a bit. There did not seem to be anything wrong with it to me; so long as this engagement fulfilled the diplomatic purpose it needed to, whether it ended in marriage or not did not matter. At the same time, I couldn't deny her declaration because she was also Lord Mitsuhide's daughter. If I did anything to upset her, it wouldn't reflect kindly on my reputation, my father's, or that of Dragnor's.

"Someday, I'm going to leave Nixtorm and explore the world, maybe even find my true love out there," Lady Gracia continued, walking towards the window and sliding it open, revealing the town beneath the castle and the white landscape beyond it. She leaned out of it slightly, resting her chin on her hands. "My father doesn't let me leave the castle unless he's with me, and I've never been out of the kingdom either." She gave a sad sigh.

"So, I won't marry you, but I was wondering..." Lady Gracia left the window side and turned around, but this time she avoided matching her line of sight with mine, gazing at the floor instead. "...If you could be my friend? It's lonely in the castle with only all these adults around and Munna as my only pal..."

You could just ask to be friends? That was news to me. To me, friendship was forged by bonds on the battlefield, with the knowledge that you can rely on each other in the most trying times. In that sense, Toshiie would be my friend, but...I wouldn't admit that to him. Gible, though, was my best friend through thick and thin. "Friendship" wasn't a word I took lightly.

Yet I found myself automatically betraying my own values, all for the sake of my task.

"We can be friends, Lady Gracia."

"It's official, then!" She clasped her hands around one of mine, and I had to mentally stop myself from instantly pulling away. "Call me just 'Gracia', okay? I'm looking forward to being friends with you!" She brought her face close to mine, smiling, and I wondered if she had any sense of personal space or not.

"...Well, about marriage..." I spoke quietly, somewhat taken aback by all this sudden excitement. I doubted that I could salvage this engagement issue, but it was at least worth an attempt. "This is the first time I've heard that marriages shouldn't be arranged. Or that people have to be in love in order to get married."

Gracia let my hand go and rested her palms on her hips, tilting her head to the side.

"Hmm, for being Lord Fujitaka's son, you sure don't know a lot. Your father's the brainiac with all the history and literature books, right?"

I tried to resist grimacing, but I was sure that my face contorted into some bizarre expression in reaction. How could she say things like that out of the blue about someone she just met, and my father!? And me, being a person who doesn't know a lot? She's the one who claims that marriage is only for love and believes that you can just ask to be friends with someone!

I kept reminding myself that this was my duty to my lord and my kingdom. However, as I stared into Gracia's eyes and forced a shaky smile, I knew that this assignment was going to be way out of my field of experience.


End file.
